Having healthy germinated seedlings is crucial to successful growth in the Airgarden. If you've chosen to grow your own seedlings, you can view the steps to follow below or watch video instructions on YouTube.
Step 1) Plant your seeds
Read how to plant your seeds in your Airgarden grow plugs here
Step 2) Cover & wait for seeds to sprout
1. Place grow plugs back in the seedling tray and put the lid back on
2. Place the tray inside in a bright place but out of direct sunlight (e.g., the kitchen bench). If they're on a cool surface, place a tea towel underneath to keep the tray warm
3. Cover them with the dome and wait for them to germinate, i.e., sprout above the surface as per the below picture. Do not add any more water during this time.
Step 3) As they sprout, put seeds in sunlight for 3 hours per day for 5 days
1. Seeds will take varying times to sprout. As soon as any seeds sprout, transfer them to an open Tupperware container and place them in direct sun for 3 hours per day or 8 hours under a fluorescent or LED desk lamp. Check out this video for more info.
2. Do not add water until plugs start turning light brown - at this point, they are drying out, and you should add water to the top until they glisten.
3. Once all your seeds have sprouted, you can remove the clear lid and move them all back to the main tray.
Step 4) Put seeds in sunlight for 6 hours per day for 5 days
1. After 5 days, place seedlings in direct sun for 6 hours per day or under fluorescent or LED desk lamp for 12 hours per day
2. Do not add water until plugs start turning light brown at the top (or you will overwater them) - at this point, they are drying out, and you should add water to the top until they glisten, or pour 1 liter of water to the bottom of the tray.
3. Note - in very hot conditions, you may need to add water every day. You should also keep seedlings out of direct sunlight in the hottest part of the day to ensure they don't dry out too rapidly.
Step 5) Add nutrients to water after 10 days
1. After 10 days, start adding half-strength nutrients when adding water. E.g., add 1ml of Part 1 and 1ml of Part 2 Airgarden nutrient solution to 1 liter of water.
2. Continue to add water as required (i.e., when plugs are turning light brown) by adding water to the top of individual plugs or pouring 1 liter of water to the bottom of the tray (if you are doing this, ensure all plugs are still reaching the bottom as they may have expanded).
Step 6) Wait for the roots to sprout
1. Seedlings must have roots sprouting before being transferred to your Airgarden. This typically takes 2-4 weeks, but some are faster than others.
2. When roots have sprouted (i.e., you can see them coming out of the bottom of the grow plug), you can move these seedlings into your Airgarden.